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Alginate encapsulation supports the growth and differentiation of human primordial follicles within ovarian cortical tissue

  • Fertility Preservation
  • Published:
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

In vitro follicle growth (IVFG) is an investigational fertility preservation technique in which immature follicles are grown in culture to produce mature eggs that can ultimately be fertilized. Although progress has been made in growing primate primary and secondary follicles in vitro, it has been a relatively greater challenge to isolate and culture primordial follicles. The purpose of this study was to develop methods to grow human primordial follicles in vitro using alginate hydrogels.

Methods

We obtained human ovarian tissue for research purposes through the National Physicians Cooperative from nationwide sites and used it to test two methods for culturing primordial follicles. First, primordial follicles were isolated from the ovarian cortex and encapsulated in alginate hydrogels. Second, 1 mm × 1 mm pieces of 500 μm-thick human ovarian cortex containing primordial follicles were encapsulated in alginate hydrogels, and survival and follicle development within the tissue was assessed for up to 6 weeks.

Results

We found that human ovarian tissue could be kept at 4 °C for up to 24 h while still maintaining follicle viability. Primordial follicles isolated from ovarian tissue did not survive culture. However, encapsulation and culture of ovarian cortical pieces supported the survival, differentiation, and growth of primordial and primary follicles. Within several weeks of culture, many of the ovarian tissue pieces had formed a defined surface epithelium and contained growing preantral and antral follicles.

Conclusions

The early stages of in vitro human follicle development require the support of the native ovarian cortex.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge all participants who donated ovarian tissue for the research portion of this protocol and the personnel of the National Physicians Cooperative who facilitated these studies. We also thank Megan Romero and Keisha Barreto from the Ovarian Histology Core at Northwestern University for their technical expertise and R. Schultz and S. Medvedev from the University of Pennsylvania for the use of their MSY2 antisera. This research is funded in part by the National Institutes of Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development through the U54 HD076188 grant. The Oncofertility Consortium® is funded through the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research, Grant UL1DE19587 and PL1CA133835.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E. Superior Street, Lurie 10-121, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA

    Monica M. Laronda, Francesca E. Duncan, Jessica E. Hornick, Min Xu, Jennifer E. Pahnke, Kelly A. Whelan & Teresa K. Woodruff

  2. Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA

    Lonnie D. Shea

  3. Institute of Bio-Nanotechnology in Medicine (IBNAM), Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA

    Lonnie D. Shea

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  1. Monica M. Laronda
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  2. Francesca E. Duncan
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  3. Jessica E. Hornick
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  4. Min Xu
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  5. Jennifer E. Pahnke
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  6. Kelly A. Whelan
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  7. Lonnie D. Shea
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  8. Teresa K. Woodruff
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Correspondence to Teresa K. Woodruff.

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Capsule A novel compound heterozygous mutation involving exon 1 and 10 resulting in LH/hCG resistance, infertility and female phenotype in XY and XX siblings.

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Supplemental Fig. 1

Encapsulation with alginate at different concentrations similarly support human ovarian cortex in culture. Representative H&E images of tissue in 2 % alginate (A, participant R) 0.5 % alginate (B, participant N) and 0.25 % alginate (C, participant R) each grown for 3 weeks in culture (scale bar, 50 μm). (PPT 2973 kb)

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Laronda, M.M., Duncan, F.E., Hornick, J.E. et al. Alginate encapsulation supports the growth and differentiation of human primordial follicles within ovarian cortical tissue. J Assist Reprod Genet 31, 1013–1028 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-014-0252-x

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